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Before the zero-tolerance approach to dog fouling began, only the council’s two environmental wardens could issue the fixed penalty notices.

As part of the scheme, five street scene officers completed training to allow them to also issue the fixed penalty notices.

Bob Henderson, Allerdale locality officer, said: “We have found it much more effective to target areas with groups of officers.

“After this initial crack down is over they will target problem areas at least once a week and will spend 20 per cent of their time dedicated to dog fouling enforcement.

“When they are doing the enforcement it is having a positive effect on people’s attitudes because they can see that we are doing things and we are getting a good rapport with the responsible dog owners.

“What we really need is people to give us information about where and when people are letting their dogs foul.

“People are getting more comfortable with passing on the information and it means we can be more efficient.”

The environmental wardens and street scene officers work in groups and communicate with each other to try to catch as many irresponsible dog owners as possible.

Some of the areas they have been targeting recently include Northside, Cockermouth cycle way, Sandy Lonning and the prom in Maryport, The Went in Dearham, and the cycle way in Keswick.

Bob said: “Focsa clean in these areas and they report back on how much dog mess they pick up and that is trending down so the streets are cleaner.

“The other thing we are measuring is that we grade each area on how much dog mess there is and that is trending down too so there are much less areas that we class as heavy dog fouling so that is improving.

“It is an awareness thing and I think it is safe to say that people in this area know we are here and what we are doing. We are getting much more positive comments.”

Have your say

Looks like I'll have to get up earlier and let my dog foul before 6.30am. Fancy putting the time they start on the net. Who writes these articles? I think it's a great idea. Dog poo is a real bio hazard to young children and adults who don't wash their hands. Do the right thing people, it's not hard if you take your dog out take take a plastic bag and pick up its poo. Cheap handwarmers!!

Posted by Mikey on
22 May 2012 at 22:28

The thing is Newby, you are wholly wrong about dog poo containing "things" which "cause blindness". I've said before, it's only dog poo from a dog not wormed, with a certain type of parasite which, if applied directly to an eyeball would cause a problem. Granted a child falling, putting their hand in it then putting their hand in their eye IF it is infected poo would have a problem. However, it is extremely rare. Anyway, horse poo attracts flies which may well have walked on infected dog poo so lets not get into the realms of silliness now. Poo is poo, and it's unpleasant and should be cleaned up but you won't get full compliance. I would rather clean up after any animal than members of our own species who leave the pavements in a far worse state after a night on the tiles. What about a "clean up your vomit" campaign? No, that's clearly silly I guess! Let's carry one picking on dogs then.